For the past three years, Dens has been hosting a Faux Thanksgiving Potluck for our very large group of friends! Even though the past two years have been a slight disaster with at least ten people jockeying for kitchen space to finish their dishes, piles of empty cups and glasses everywhere, and notable kitchen fires (I shall never forget the “flame roasted via oven fire” turkey mishap of 2008), it’s one of my favorite annual events.

Chalk it up to the fact that we’re older, wiser and slightly more mature (I mean there were FOUR real live babies in the house this year), but at this year’s Faux Thanksgiving there were no fires, no mounds of plastic cups everywhere (thanks to Chelsa’s new “use this sharpie to put your name on your cup), and we actually ended up eating before 10 PM!

Dennis rode home from Whole Foods with this thing propped up on his handlebars!

We also had a 32 pound turkey this year which was carved by yours truly. The dark meat ended up needing some more time in the oven, so I had to take the big guy apart. I’m not exaggerating – I broke a sweat doing it. Let’s just pretend I can call it a workout because it’s the only excuse for me fixing a plate that looks like this:

Top: Where I started - Bottom Left: After 30 minutes - Bottom Right: After an hour and close to me calling it quits!

I know – I’m a little pig. But I didn’t eat it all and I wrapped it up to go, so I didn’t waste it. But I’m still full. And may not eat again until the real Thanksgiving on Thursday.